10 Ways to Live Below Your Means

This is a guest post from my other Blog, "Learning Money". http://bethandscott.blogspot.com/

1. Identify and cut those expenses that are “leaky holes”, things like magazine or movie subscriptions or even the health club if you don’t use it. 

2. Don’t dine or snack out. Bag your lunch and if you must snack, pack drinks and munchies in your bag or car.

3. Avoid impulse purchases. Anything that costs over $100 should be put off for 1-2 weeks to determine if you REALLY need it. 

4. Don’t upgrade anything electronic to the latest and greatest unless it’s necessary.

5. Spend less on gifts at the stores and more time making cards, writing poems or songs and expressing your feelings without spending money on your loved ones.

6. When you go to the grocery store or any store for that matter, buy what’s on your list and then LEAVE.

7. Use the library instead of buying books online or for your e-reader. Trade books with friends and family, too!

8. Buy used stuff, especially cars.

9. Drive less. Consolidate your trips. Drive slower to save gas. Better yet, take a bike, a walk or just stay put.

10. Get re-interested in learning, in enjoying what you already have and hanging out with your family. Play games, be creative, keep up with friends or write in a journal. The more time we spend not spending is money saved and a life well-lived.

I Am Thankful

Here's a song we recorded today to express our gratitude and love for one another, our family, friends and the values we share.

May your holiday be full of great conversations, laughter, tasty food and lots of hugs!

Beth and Scott
"I Am Thankful"
Words and Music by Scott Bierko
©2011 Bierko Productions

What We’re Most Grateful for in 2011

Our Good Health. Despite the onset of middle-aged aches and pains, we still remain capable of getting up every day, shopping for food, cleaning, making meals, doing our job, chopping the firewood and playing with the dog. Thank God for our Kripalu yoga practice and the teachers who blessed us with their knowledge. We also thank the many wonderful healers, doctors and others who tend to our mental, physical and spiritual well-being.

Our Family. It’s not easy being a great mom and dad to two teenage girls. In fact, we make lots of mistakes and kick ourselves almost daily for not being perfect parents. That said, we are thankful because we have great kids who are compassionate, funny and beautiful. What a blessing to witness their transformation from helpless little babies into responsible adolescents and young adults ready to take their turn getting things “right”.

Our Business. Like most Americans (many others around the world), we are struggling harder and making less. Instead of the incremental progress and accumulation of assets our parent’s generation enjoyed during their 40’s and 50’s, we are finding it a struggle just to survive in this economy. Despite this downturn, we feel lucky to have many, many loyal and wonderful clients who share our love of music and children. We are so fortunate to have a job, especially one that allows us to work together, have fun and make a difference in the lives of the people we serve.

Our Country. The U.S.A. is going through a crisis brought on by years of unsustainable growth, a certain measure of greed and a lack of compassion for each other and our environment. Our hope is that our leaders and our fellow citizens will make the smart, difficult choices necessary to promote long term prosperity for our children’s generation.

Nature. As we look around, there is so much wonder and beauty in our natural world. We are lucky to make our home in the woods where wild turkeys and deer parade past our window and squirrels, chipmunks, woodpeckers, spiders, skunks and swans share the trees, the reservoirs and the clean air with us two-legged folks.

Needs and Wants. A comfortable couch, a warm furnace, a roof that doesn’t leak and two old cars that still run are all blessings that come to us courtesy of the people who made and sold them. As musicians, we’re fortunate to have drums to bang, guitars and ukes to strum and microphones so that audiences can hear us. How lucky we are to have shoes, socks, pants, shirts, sweaters and coats.

You. Maybe we’ve met, maybe you’ve heard our songs or maybe you’re being introduced to us for the first time. We’re glad you’re here, a fellow traveler in this wacky, wonderful world. May you be blessed with abundance, love and gratitude.

Happy Holidays Around the World

Does your community celebrate the holidays with any annual traditions? We're not referring to big sales on toys or clothes, but to those old-timey opportunities for folks to gather, to laugh and to sing the songs of the season. Beth & Scott's program, Happy Holidays Around the World, now in its fifteenth year, once again brings the perfect mixture of ingredients to please everyone at your school.

"First, we gather together," says Scott Bierko. "children, parents and teachers, creating a real sense of community. Second, we provide the audience with a super-fun show with important educational content, multiple styles of music, a brightly colored set and lots of on-stage participation by the kids and the adults. Lastly, we mix in a sense of warmth and just enough love to leave the audience smiling."

Beth & Scott and Friends teach kids that we may be different on the outside, but inside we're all very much the same.

"Like Scott says in the show," remarks Beth Bierko, "We gather to give light to the darkest time of the year, by sharing food, exchanging presents and giving thanks for all that we have. Mostly, we travel great distances to be with the people we love - family and old friends. I think of that word, "community" and see it's about how we come together throughout the world to create a oneness that's at the heart of Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Christmas".

Happy Holidays Around the World brings together songs that everyone can dance and sing to, humor that tickles even the most serious of teachers and a sense of connection that makes for lifelong memories. As one principal recently said, "You are a tradition at our school. If I ever thought of not booking you - the teachers would get rid of me!"

Find out why so many schools ring in the holidays with Beth & Scott and Friends' show, Happy Holidays Around the World. It might be the best present you can give your kids this year.

Can't Find My Gloves

Can’t Find My Gloves

(to the tune of “Can’t Buy Me Love” by Lennon & McCartney)
New Lyrics By Scott Bierko Copyright 2011 Bierko Productions

Can’t find my gloves

Can’t find my gloves

Can’t find my gloves

I want to go outside and make snow angels in the snow

I want to take a ride on my new sleigh but I can’t go

No I can’t go so says my mommy

‘Cause I can’t find my gloves

I want to build a snowman but my hands will get too cold

I want to have a snowball fight but I can’t so I’ve been told

No I can’t go so says my mommy

‘Cause I can’t find my gloves

Can’t find my gloves

Until I find ‘em I can’t go

Can’t find my gloves

No, no, no, no

I’ve looked around and up and down everywhere that I could think

I’m not gonna wear my sister’s gloves they’re  little and they’re pink

Then I can’t go so says my mommy

‘Cause I can’t find my gloves

6 Pro Tips for Marketing to Digital Natives

I've heard it said that we (those over 35) are "immigrants" to the technological culture, meaning that we came from a world that existed before we were all glued to our electronics. The people younger than us are "natives" - they've had a cell phone in their hands, a computer on their laps and an Ipod in their ears for their whole adult lives (or longer).

If you're looking to establish your brand to these folks, I suggest that you read the following article. It's one of the best ones I've come across. The author puts a definitely positive spin on this digital generation's earnest dislike of the hard sell and gives alternative means to making friends with them on their turf.

6 Pro Tips for Marketing to Digital Natives

Artists on the Edge

Like many artists, Beth and I are struggling to maintain financial equilibrium in an economy that seems akin to a serious earthquake. While the life of an independent artist has never been without its share of minor tremors, we are currently experiencing some awfully big shocks that are threatening our ability to stay in business. Wouldn’t it be a shame if we had to switch careers at a time when we’re at the top or our game, when we feel like we have the most to share with children and teachers?

Before you get any ideas to the contrary, please know that Beth and I have no intention of giving up our lives as children’s musicians. We will continue to search for ways to trim our expenses and create more income. In the last year, we’ve examined our expenditures and saved quite a bit of money as a result. We’ve also invested a tremendous amount of time into marketing, becoming much more proactive when it comes to reaching our existing and potential clients.

We have also expanded and improved our programs. Since moving to our home in Yorktown Heights, New York, we’ve added new assemblies on wellness (Beth & Scott’s Nutrition Mission), character education (Do the Right Thing!) and, not coincidentally, financial education (Money Matters). We’ve seen tremendous growth in our song writing program, Creating a New Hit Song, not just in the number of clients who regularly book it, but in its usefulness to teachers.

Sadly, there are clients who have lost their funding. State and federal grants – once plentiful for schools in need - are harder to come by resulting in a decreasing number of opportunities for students in these districts. Just today, we found out that a school where we’ve had tremendous success for the last three years has lost their funding. By all measures (including test scores) our song writing program was an unqualified success according to the principal and the teachers. In fact, last year we were asked to speak at this school’s moving up ceremony where we were presented with an award for our commitment to the children of that city. As wonderful as it felt to be accepted and honored in that community three months ago, today it feels like we were declared “expendable”.

During most of the last twenty years, Beth and I were fortunate to see our income rise and our lifestyle improve. Married in 1992, we moved from a small apartment in New York City when we had children to a co-op in Westchester and finally to our own home in 2006. Like most Americans, we believed that hard work and education in one’s field were the ticket to consistent expansion and, eventually, a well-deserved retirement. In the meantime, we never longed for much in the way of material goods. To us, happiness has always been about enjoying our job, our family and friends and serving the community with our talent. And while we weren’t immune to the advantages of comfortable, beautiful things, most of our purchases were reasonable. Our choice has always been to measure our life not by what we were able to afford, but by how much time we were able to spend doing what we love with the people we love.

The hopeful part of me, the idealist who always looks on the bright side of life, wants to believe that what matters most cannot be taken away by a shifting economy. I cling to the rock that God has a plan and this is merely a passing phenomenon, a storm to be followed by bright, blue skies and happy, song-filled days. Heck, I grew up in an era where we laughed at zany comedians and sang ourselves happy.

Raindrops keep falling on my head 
But that doesn’t mean my eyes will soon be turning red 
Crying’s not for me ‘cause 
I’m never gonna stop the rain by complaining 
Because I’m free 
Nothin’s worrying me 
(Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head ©1969 Blue Seas Music, Inc. )

Some forty years later, I would be dishonest if I didn’t admit to some fear. I worry that our country has lived too long on credit, that we’ve lost our competitive edge and become ill-equipped to find the higher ground while the tsunami approaches us. I watch our government, paralyzed by money, power and old partisan ways, and I feel that are leaders are arguing with one another about the values of their beach condos while the waves are building on the horizon. The current movements like Occupy Wall Street attest to our collective belief that the earth is opening up, that people are being swallowed up and our leaders are trying to use duct tape to keep things together.

At times like these, I’m convinced that music is not a luxury, but a spiritual, medicine for the soul. I also reject the claim that any part of the school curriculum is more important than another. In fact, we are the only country in the world that has created a hierarchy of subjects where math and english sit at the top, social studies and science are in the middle and foreign language, physical education and the arts rest on the bottom. This is an antiquated, artificial system that doesn’t take into account all of the best thinking that has been applied to education. Imagine what our country would be like if creationists wrote all the textbooks and scientists who don’t believe in climate change wrote all of the laws. Narrow-mindedness rules in our educational system and our country and our people are suffering as a result.

All of us can make a difference. We can speak out in defense of what we know to be true, what we intuitively and logically believe is best for our culture and for our citizens. In the end, I think that this is our best and only hope to regain our momentum, to be part of a world that values humanity and what humans create. I plan on being there, a bit bruised by the seismic forces around me, but still hopeful that we can rediscover our better natures.

Top of the Charts

The programs receiving the most inquiries and bookings this year are “The Golden Rule Show”, “Do the Right Thing” and “Creating a New Hit Song”. Obviously, character education is big and getting bigger. Luckily, we’ve got three programs that can serve that need and shower lots of praise on the cultural arts representative who books it for her school.

“The Golden Rule Show” is for preK-2nd grade. It’s interactive, musical and very funny, but it’s message is serious and important: we can have peaceful relationships, classrooms, schools and communities when we treat one another with respect and kindness. Click here for a video interview with Beth and Scott about “Golden Rule”.

“Do the Right Thing” is for 3rd-6th grade. While the younger kids are receiving messages about listening, sharing and anti-bullying, the older kids get a much more sophisticated show that shows them how to build courage in themselves, interact with others and avoid the perils of peer pressure. You can click here to receive a more in-depth description from Beth and Scott.

“Creating a New Hit Song” is a song writing workshop program that grows in popularity every year. As more schools recognize that hands-on experience “sticks” more with children, they turn to programs like “Hit Song” that empower their kids with 21st Century Learning Standards (communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity). All four of these standards are a HUGE part of a workshop program. Click here for a video testimonial and some sample songs.

Last Minute Mary and the Holiday Show

Have you ever heard the phrase, “being in the present moment”? As beneficial as that might be to one’s personal psyche, it can get you into some trouble if you don’t plan for he future. Such is the case with seasonal clothes and our assembly program, “Happy Holidays Around the World”. Read on to learn how you can be a Last Minute Mary and still get what you need.

Scott’s mother is an early planner. While we’re out performing, she’s out shopping for our kids’ clothes well ahead of the season. Without fail, she finds that perfect bathing suit or coat for our two daughters. We’re lucky to have her because we don’t think about seasonal clothing until the season hits. That’s why you might see Beth or Scott running from store to store on July 1st looking for the last available bathing suits in North America.

Some of our super-planner clients book our holiday show a year in advance, but most schedule their dates from June-September. In the past, that meant that anyone calling in October or November had slim pickings or no luck at all. Of course, everyone was frustrated, but we made a decision seven years ago that has made it easier to join in the fun – we run two companies!

So, don’t despair if Halloween isn’t here yet and Christmas Trees are appearing at BJ’s (they are). You Last-Minute-Marys are still welcome here at Beth & Scott and Friends. As of this morning, we’ve got new dates available for schools, daycares and libraries to select from and we’ll do everything we can to help you find the right date at a price you can afford.

Now, if we could just figure out a way to solve that bathing suit problem…

What’s the Best Age for Musical Lessons?

Scott is often asked his opinion about the best age for musical lessons and how a parent can encourage musical learning.

“I started taking guitar when I was eight. By that age, I was a reader and my hand-eye coordination was at a good place to begin with an instrument.

My teacher mixed the rudiments necessary for longtime mastery with my short term desire to play and sing songs. On any given week, I was reading from a scale book and learning a folk song.

Music was always on in my house and in my life. My parents introduced me to a great variety of styles, including folk, pop, show tunes and instrumental music, so I suggest that parents expose their children to great music- especially live music!

Students who practice fifteen minutes or more per day do best. Our job, as parents, is to help the student create a healthy, regular pattern where practice time is honored. In my opinion, it comes after homework, but before any other leisure activities.

If your child becomes bored or distracted, gently return them to practice. Discuss these instances in private with the teacher and consider changing the plan, if necessary, to include more songs. If your child becomes discouraged because they’re not learning fast enough (or as fast as their peers), let them know that even the greatest musicians faced times of doubt and difficulty.

Lastly, I recommend playing in front of family and friends for those brave enough to try it. The thrill of putting on a neighborhood performance and all the applause and good feelings that accompany your child’s “show” might encourage them to stick with their instrument and ascend to even higher heights of mastery and enjoyment.

5 Ways to Improve Assemblies

When booking an artist into your school, we recommend that you follow these simple tips:

1. Coordinate your efforts with key teachers and/or the principal. Collaborating with them will create trust and, in some cases, inspire the teachers to help you write grants for more programs! Ask them what they want the children to learn, what programs they remember as being successful and which ones didn’t work – and why!

2. Confirm your program and location with the artists 1-2 days prior to the performance date. The worst assembly is the one that doesn’t happen because of a mix up with dates or driving directions. The confirmation call is also a good time to recheck any needs (tables, sound systems, etc.)

3. Schedule the room! If another group (such as the orchestra, band or theater group) is scheduled to use the stage or gym directly before or after the performance, discuss this with the artist. Depending upon the artists’ setup and breakdown needs, you may have to alter who can use the room.
 

4. Confer with the custodian prior to the program. A custodian is responsible for providing the artists with access to the building, carts to load in their equipment, and a clean and orderly stage and audience area. Treating your custodians with respect and praise will enhance the artists’ and the student’s experience!
 

5. Always, always have a principal or staff member introduce the artists. A good introduction includes a word or two about proper audience behavior and sets the tone for welcoming visitors into your school.

Bringing Books to Life

Does your school celebrate PARP (Parents as Reading Partners) or do you have a mandate from your principal to support reading in your cultural arts programs? If so, then read on…

Beth & Scott and Friends have been actively engaged in developing readers for nearly 20 years. We are storytellers, actors and singers who take books from the library shelves and turn them into interactive songs where the children play roles onstage alongside the performers. How’s that for making books come to life!

“Singable Stories from Around the World”, first developed in 1995, is full of exciting tales that engage children K-6 just like a great book – with two important distinctions: first, we are musicians, so our stories are sung; and second, we involve the children in the stories, giving them an opportunity to create a connection to diverse cultures and stories through theater .

“Singable Stories” is performed in front of a large and colorful map of the world, so your children will learn geography, too. Featured stories include: The Empty Pot (China); The Best Food (India);and It Could Always Be Worse (Russia). Schools can also elect to have Beth & Scott write a new song for their school, so please contact us with your ideas!

Please click here to watch a video about this program

Today's Featured Assembly Program

SINGABLE STORIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD - MUSICAL STORYTELLING

Stop Typing and Start Talking!

                                

Got an Idea You Want to Share?

In 5 minutes you can record an audio (or video) 

on your computer with nothing more than a web cam and a script. 

Let Your Voice Be Heard!

 Why settle for text when you can stand out with sound!

Audio Acrobat Makes it Easy

Get Your Free 30 Day Trial Today!

60 Second Message for "Singable Stories "

Click on the Audio Acrobat play button to hear a special message from Scott's recording studio!

Beth & Scott Join Barefoot Books Team!

Click PLAY for a special message!

Beth and I are proud to announce that we've joined the team of Barefoot Books. As big supporters of reading, we are very pleased with the quality of books and other gift items available through this wonderful publisher. Summer is a great time to check-out Barefoot because their once-a-year big sale is taking place through August 15th. To start shopping, click the picture or simply head on over to www.barefootbooksbiz.com. See you there!

Scott Bierko's Hi-Protein Breakfast Smoothie

My favorite way to start a musical day is with a nutritious, brain-boosting smoothie. This recipe makes a blender full of smoothie – enough for 1-4 servings (I have the whole thing unless family members are hungry).

I hope you like it - and please feel free to share your creative discoveries to make it even better!

Ingredients

3 tbls. Whey Protein

1 tbls.  Honey (to taste)

2 bananas

1 ½ cups of Cantaloupe, melon or pineapple

2 cups of frozen mixed fruit

1 carrot

2 cups of water

1 cup of yogurt (plain or vanilla)

1 tbls. Flax Seed (optional for fiber)

Chop all fruits and veggies in 1-inch pieces. Place all ingredients in a blender with the softer ingredients (banana, cantaloupe) on the bottom. Blend thoroughly until desired consistency.

Note: Any fruits can be substituted in this recipe. Any overripe fruits that you would normally throw away are perfect in Scott’s smoothie!

Play it Again, Sam

When we perform at schools and summer camps, our fans like to hear their favorite songs repeatedly. Instead of our latest and greatest compositions, they ask for the ones they know, like Hello, My Name is Joe or Be Banana. Consequently, we sing those two songs every day and have done so for the last twenty years. This is neither a bore nor a chore for us. We understand the audience’s desire to hear their favorites because we enjoy repetition, too. No matter the age, the refrain is the same – please play it again!

Over the the last year, we have been playing at two preschools regularly. During that time, Beth and I experimented with variety and repetition. At the end of the school year, we met with the owners of the schools and one hundred teachers to assess what was most beneficial for the children in terms of learning and enjoyment. With few exceptions, we received the same advice, “Please play what the kids like over and over again. We’d rather hear the same songs six weeks in a row than hear a variety of songs every session.” 

This desire for “sameness” is true outside of music. If you’re a fisherman, you have your lucky spot on the lake and you probably like to use the same lures you’ve always used. If you like Chinese food, I’ll wager that you order the same dishes each time you call for takeout. And don’t you sleep on the same side of the bed every night with your favorite pillow tucked under your head just so? The conclusion is simple: humans are creatures of habit. No wonder kids like to hear their favorite songs again and again.(Notice my use of the words “their favorite songs” instead of “our favorite songs” in the last sentence.)

I am a passionate fan of Donald Fagan’s album, “The Nightfly”. I’ve listened to it thousands of times and it never ceases to please me. This album is one of MY favorites. Do you have a song or CD that pleases you like that? How wonderful that we all have our own favorites, songs that are like best friends. Truly, it’s one of life’s greatest pleasures.

So, when you're tired of singing “Wheels on the Bus” to your preschoolers or acting out “Baby Shark” with your summer campers, know that their experience might be the highlight of their day. We all know those feelings, but do you remember how special and intense they were when you were a child? Then why not repeat it!

“If music be the food of love, play on.”  (W. Shakespeare, Twelfth Night)

You Get What You Pay For

Some people think that Beth and I are expensive. They compare our fee with the competition and come to the conclusion that we cost too much for their school or organization.

In some cases, they may be right. Some folks have tiny budgets and no matter how much they value us, we’re unable to work together because of money. Even in this economy, though, the single biggest block to our working with schools isn't the price. It’s justifying our worth versus our competitors.

Imagine trying to describe your worth right now – your talents and your character, your education and work experience all in thirty seconds. What would you say to a prospective “buyer” that would encourage him or her to give you a job? You better be ready to say something that they’ll remember!

I’ll never forget how a local clothing store made its reputation with the phrase, “an educated consumer is our best customer.”  The reason that this phrase was so successful is that everyone wondered, “Am I an educated consumer?” The store wasn’t just saying we have great clothes and fair prices, they were saying, “Only smart people need come by.” Wow.

Beth and I began playing music in schools in 1993. Back then, we collected everyone’s brochures to learn how the marketing was done. With few exceptions, every act followed the formula that is applied not only in arts-in-education but throughout the world to sell stuff: fabulous quotes, exciting descriptions and photos of happy clients. It seemed like every act had the quote, “They’re the best we’ve ever had in our school!”

So, what’s a cultural arts rep to do? How can you decide which acts are going to please the teachers, students and principal and which ones might be an embarrassment to you? Here’s what we suggest you do to foolproof your cultural arts experience and receive lots of compliments for your efforts:

• Preview the Performer and/or Contact Their References. You wouldn’t buy a dress without trying it on, would you? Ask their references how it benefited the students and whether the teachers thought it was worth giving up class time. Get specific.

• Talk, Don’t Email. We know everyone’s busy, but you’ll get much better information from a performer when you communicate via telephone. Your intuition is very important.

• If the Price is High, Ask Them Why! Our fees are based upon the fact that we’re two performers, we buy and maintain the best sound, sets and costumes, and we often spend a full year developing a new program. Additionally, we are local to New York where the cost of living and doing business are astronomically high. 

• Go for a Grant. We know how your stomach churns at the thought of researching and writing a grant, but some of them are surprisingly simple. Check to see if a teacher can help you. They often know about local organizations and foundations that are just itching to give money for fantastic programs – like us! Here's a way to get a $500 grant that's easy: http://www.musicisrevolution.com/teachers

The truth is we are not expensive. Our fees are based upon the actual cost of providing you with the best entertainment we can plus a reasonable profit so that we can stay in business. The value we bring to you, however, far exceeds what you are paying us. Because we are so experienced, dedicated, passionate about music, education and children, you aren’t just contracting for our talent – you’re getting two fellow parents who want the best for your kids. Can that be said of the competition? Ask around. Talk with us. Come see us perform or teach. And here’s what we think you’ll find:

An educated cultural arts representative is our best customer!

Getting Past "No" and Building Healthy PTA-Teacher Relationships

Have you met resistance when you tried to bring a new and exciting workshop or assembly program into you school? Does is sometimes feel as if no one is listening when  you talk about how great this program would be for the kids?

In this article, we’re going to talk about the two reasons why your school might not be greeting your new idea with open arms and what you might do to turn a “no” into a “maybe” or even a “yes”. 

Alright, let's get started. Here’s the two problems:

• They  might be satisfied with what they’ve got  

• They might fear change

THEY MIGHT BE SATISFIED WITH WHAT THEY’VE GOT

First of all, let’s give those teachers some respect. Sit them down and ask them a few questions so that you can learn why they are content with their current cultural arts programs. Listen to their answers as if you were an interviewer, not disagreeing with their thoughts and feelings. When they are through, see if you can repeat back to them what they told you. This is called “mirroring” and it’s always a successful way to make sure that both people in any relationship are heard and respected. You may find that you are in agreement with them or that you still think that your program is better. In either case, you’ve opened the door to a better working relationship where both parties can get their needs met. 

THEY MIGHT FEAR CHANGE

Someone who is afraid of change might appear on the outside to be angry or dismissive. So, my first advice is to meet their resistance armed with the opposite of fear: love. In addition to the above mirroring, you should prepare yourself with an extra dose of TLC. Oftentimes, fear of change is in response to an experience where they trusted someone and felt betrayed. This might be another cultural arts representative who didn’t do their homework and brought in a terrible program. In this case, it may have made the teachers feel embarrassed, neglected or angry at the PTA.  When I get a level 10 reaction to a level 1 problem, I am usually in the presence of a trauma, so I try to be extra kind. 

WHAT TO DO?

Your spine or main idea is to provide the children and the teachers with arts programming that will support the curriculum and the whole development of the child. Any program that does not meet those standards is not worth the money or the time. In this era of standardized tests, it’s almost impossible to bring in programs just because they’re fun or entertaining.

Your first step to “yes” is to know that teachers are already overwhelmed by students being pulled out of class for specials, individual needs, assemblies and so much more. Therefore, your program had better be worthwhile and you might have to prove it. Here’s what I’d suggest to get that great program approved:

• Take the long view. You may have to wait 2-3 years before you have developed buy-in on the part of the teachers for a big program. Start small and develop a track record of success

• Do your homework. Know the learning standards and be able to point to specific areas of the curriculum where the arts program can support the school’s goals.

• Get testimonials. The artist should be able to provide you with concrete evidence that their program has been “teacher tested and approved”.

• See the program in action. A good teaching artist will be happy to have you witness a program in progress and a good school will gladly allow you to attend. Just don’t bring your kids!

•  Choose artists who respect students and teachers. Creating art in a collaborative environment is the brass ring of arts-in-education. Everyone wants the children to be lifetime learners and passionate, creative individuals. The best artists exemplify this in everything they do.

Our two richest programs, Creating a New Hit Song and Creating a New School Song are highly beneficial to schools, but that doesn’t mean that they sell themselves. It takes a dedicated cultural arts representative to champion them to the principal, music teacher, classroom teachers and your fellow PTA members. The payoff, though, is huge. The “School Song” program leaves behind a life-long legacy and “Hit Song” is usually booked for five years or more. 

These workshop programs – and ones like them offered by other artists – can leave a lasting effect on the teachers and the students we all serve. In fact, it might change one or more child’s life forever!  In the end, we believe that’s an additional reason to be persistent, respectful and understanding of everyone’s opinions and needs. Good luck!

Beth & Scott Rehearsing "Happy Holidays Around the World"

a multicultural show performed exclusively in December

featuring songs @ Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa

Lose Weight, Save Money and Experience Happiness…Really!

A couple of days ago, Beth and I were driving home from a school gig. As we crossed the Croton Resevoir, we turned on WBAI and began listening to an interview with Kelly McGonigal, a Stanford University professor. Her words made a significant impression on us, so I’d like to share some of her findings.

But first, a little detour…

Lately, we've been researching and writing a new assembly tentatively titled, “Sharing, Spending and Saving”, a musical program about money. We were commissioned by the Newark Library system and PNC Bank to perform the show for young children beginning in September 2011.

In addition to writing songs about currency and counting, we'll also examine relationships and encourage dialogue in the classroom or at home about what we each value. Our belief is that having these discussions will help kids make better choices about managing their money – whether it’s their current allowance or their future paycheck.

But let’s tune back into that radio interview…

As we drove, I learned about new discoveries in brain research that pertain to our work as educators and parents. Dr. McGonigal and her colleagues have been re-evaluating the part of the brain traditionally labeled, “the pleasure center". Together, they have discovered that our brains are even more susceptible to messages than at first thought. (I'm not surprised. Just take a look at those sticky buns in my last post!)

What’s new is that our so-called pleasure centers are not so pleasurable. In reality, it’s a place where wants get magnified, sometimes way out of proportion to our real needs. Instead of just thinking about a bun, for example, we begin looking for bakeries on both sides of the street. Our brains shout out, “STICKY BUNS! NOW!” and we get the message that we had better answer that craving right away. Food, according to Dr. McGonigal, is the number one trigger for this behavior. But it can be about sexuality, alcohol, drug use or my particular weakness, shopping.

How hard is it to hold onto my wallet when I am being told by my brain that it’s an emergency to satisfy a craving? Very hard. In fact, this same part of the brain is responsible for addictive behavior that can literally ruin us, socially and financially. On the other hand, it’s also the part of us that’s responsible for our willpower.

COMPASSION IS STRONG

Once we know how the brain works, we can look for ways to stop these episodes of craving before they drive us to ruin. In doing so, we develop a coping strategy and become stronger. The secret is self-compassion, being aware that we can regain control and act with mindfulness.This can be true if your goal is losing weight or saving money - or in my case, both!

Let's say your weakness is new shoes. You might say to yourself, “No, Donna. You don’t need another pair of black pumps." But here's the new twist, Donna can acknowledge that a part of her brain has been triggered to respond to the thought of shoes with a strong craving. If she senses the craving, she can begin to use techniques learned in yoga or meditation to compassionately return her to a better place. This place is a state of being that recognizes that we can take responsibility, stop the suffering and move on without the new shoes, sticky bun or whatever makes us crave . This process, called "detachment", is a big step, but it's certainly one of the most important things that we can do to love ourselves.

KIDS CAN BE COMPASSIONATE

All of us can teach kids about willpower and compassion whether the subject is food, peer pressure or tolerance. For us, we will likely add some new dialogue to our character education program, Do the Right Thing, showing how self-compassion precedes compassion for others. Our wellness program, Beth & Scott's Nutrition Mission, will also be made stronger with some straight talk about how the brain sends us mixed signals while we're staring in the refrigerator.

And what about the money show? If we teach audiences that saving is a form of compassion for ourselves, we can help students avoid buying that new toy that they don’t need.  If we can inform them that malls are pumping the smell of vanilla into the clothing stores (no joke) and offering free samples to excite the part of their brain that craves, we'll help them make better choices with their money.

The more important point made by Dr. McGonigal is that we have to start seeing compassion not as something that’s soft and fuzzy, but as a real strength we can use to help ourselves and our children. 

For more information about Kelly McGonigal, PhD. and her explorations into the mind-body connection, please visit her web site, http://kellymcgonigal.com/

The Secret Ingredient for Better Assemblies

Have you ever searched for a cultural arts program and found that none of the available options met your needs? It’s frustrating. Unfortunately, this is a common problem for parents and teachers booking programs, so we’d like to offer a solution to make your life easier. The answer you are seeking is much closer than you think.

But first a little story…

Beth grew up in a small, working-class suburb of Philadelphia, a town where fathers went to work and mothers stayed home to raise their children. In Beth’s family there were four daughters and one son. The stories my wife tells our kids reflect a time that was very different from now. When problems or challenges occurred, it was the family that everyone relied upon. And the children witnessed the adults struggling and surviving to meet these challenges with little money and a lot of spirit. Ahhh, the old days!

One year, Beth’s maternal grandmother came to live with the family. Grandma Kuzma, as she was called, was a gentle woman who wore her grey hair pinned up in a bun. She had a well-deserved reputation for cooking chicken soup and other eastern European dishes. But what Beth remembers best is the twinkle in Grandma Kuzma’s eyes. Strangely, one of these eyes had a cloudy spot on it from a childhood accident, but Grandma Kuzma’s eyes remained very pretty and her gaze was always intent as if she was staring into your soul.

Beth’s mom did her food marketing on Fridays and one of the treats she would sometimes buy were sticky buns. The buns came six to a package, so Beth’s mother had to buy two packages for everyone to receive one. This left four additional sticky buns for the kids to fight over.

One day, the kids were discussing how wonderful and tasty the sticky buns were but how annoying it was to not have enough for everyone to get two buns. The loudest complainer in the family was Beth’s youngest sister, Linda, a fireball well-known for speaking her mind. Her complaints about the sticky situation led Grandma Kuzma to say in her thick Hungarian accent, “I can mek ‘em.”  To which Linda replied, “Then do it, Gram!”

When the kids woke up the following Saturday morning, they were greeted by the sweet smell of hot, sticky buns wafting through the house. It was like Christmas morning when they rushed into the kitchen and saw tray after tray, piled high with buns, fresh from the oven. There were dozens of buns, enough for each member of the family to have their own plateful. There was little talk at that point and a lot of “oohing” and “aaahing” as the children began eating their sticky buns. “These are way better than the ones from the supermarket, Gram, “ said Linda.

After the kids had their fill, Beth looked at her smiling grandmother and said, “This is amazing, Grandma. How did you do this?” Very matter-of-factly, Grandma Kuzma replied, “Leenda said, ‘If you can mek ‘em, then mek ‘em.’ So, I mek ‘em.” And now there were no more fights and plenty of breakfast treats for all.

When Beth tells stories, they are usually funny, but they also serve to illustrate a lesson that we want to share with our kids. This is also true of the stories we tell in our concerts. In the case of the sticky bun story, the solution to the problem was easily found by an adult who listened to everyone’s needs and made it happen with her natural talents. The answer was not to be found by searching outside but within their own family.

Like Grandma Kuzma, Beth and I are interested in hearing what you need in your school. Our natural talent is to use the ingredients of music, humor and interactive stories to make learning more delicious and satisfying.  As we say on our web site, www.bethandscott.net, our mission is to educate, entertain and inspire. Oftentimes, we can do this by offering schools the programs that we have already written and performed hundreds of times.

Other times, though, you might be better served by having a conversation with us. An example would be the school in Yonkers who said, “We have so many cultures in our building and we need one holiday assembly program that’s going to cover it all.” That conversation led to “Happy Holidays Around the World” which we perform every December for dozens of schools.

Another PTA representative from Long Island once said, “I remember my school song and all of the great feelings we had when we sang it. I want my kids to have that, too.” That’s when our residency program, “Creating a New School Song” was born.

So, our suggestion to make your life easier is this: check out our offerings online, but also consider what might be a phone call away – two professional Teaching Artists who have a talent for turning your “problems” into programs. As Beth’s Grandma said, ““if we can mek ‘em, we’ll mek ‘em.”

Mmmm, mmmm, good!

Kindie Music: The Hipsters vs. The Hippies?

The children’s music business is going through a renaissance of sorts. All over the USA, musicians are entering into the fray with a CD in their hands, an animated video and a dream of becoming the next big thing. There’s even a new label attached to the biz to help re-define the genre: kindie music.

I actually like the name kindie and some of the folks I’ve met in the field are pretty cool, too. The name is a clever amalgam of the words kindergarten and indie music. Smart, huh? The important thing I need to tell you about kindie, however, is it sure ain’t your mom’s children’s music. Many of the new artists are rock bands whose goal is get you and your kids up and dancing. They often play loud and fast, so you may want to bring some ear plugs with you if you're over 40 and out for a Sunday concert with grandma.

Less you think me prudish, I need to introduce  you to something else that is happening out there in our field. The purveyors of this music (artists, DJs and the mommies that push it in the blogosphere) aren't happy with developing a new kind of music. No sir. Make no mistake - they would prefer that the folk school of children’s music be put out to pasture, buried and forgotten. The most radical among them feel that traditional children's music is boring and irrelevant to today's kids and families. I've read and heard enough to know that their goal is to dominate the landscape. It's like an attempted coup d'etat of a musical genre.

Okay, time to take a breath.

As a professional Teaching Artist, I have mixed feelings about this new wave of kindie music apart from the radical nature of some of its proponents and their potential threat to my career.  Actually, I’m happy when new musical forms are explored with kids. Doors have to be opened. Sometimes, things should evolve in the Arts. I have no issue with a little shaking of the trees in children's music and adding some value to our place in society.

But I'm worried. Why? Because few people are talking to one another about what’s best for kids and learning. Is loud, fast rock the best delivery vehicle for emotions to children 0-5? As an educator and a parent, I'm willing to consider new ideas, but some of the bands and producers of kindie have not considered it from a developmental perspective. To them, it's about careers, money and fame. Personally and professionally, I'm not down with that. As the old saying goes, "Let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater." We can evolve, but let's keep what works. And folk music works, especially for younger children.

I am a “big tent guy".  I believe that children should be exposed to all forms of music and that no one music is the only music for kids. That said, I have a particular passion for folk, folk-rock, jazz, country and other forms of music that move at an easygoing pace. To me, those styles are simply the better vehicle for delivering smart, poignant or funny lyrics that are appropriate for young children. I listen to rock, rap and other forms of music, but I use them very sparingly in our shows.

A mentor of mine once said, “Faster, louder and funnier are always the way that some people will try to make children pay attention and make more money, but it’s not what is best for children.” And while I have no argument against a set that includes a couple of songs that encourage kids and parents to dance and get their ya-ya’s out, in the end I prefer music that speaks to the heart, encourages learning and discovery and teaches us all the importance of being gentle with one another. In these times, we need that more than ever.

My hope is that our genre will experience an evolution that adds value for the kids, parents, teachers and musicians. My experience tells me that we will not get there without communicating with one another, so please feel free to share your thoughts and continue the dialogue. Please explore the frontiers of music to consider other forms of music beyond folk, but please keep in mind that those of us who use it love this music and believe in its ability to introduce children to the joys of music. There's lots of time for loud rock and roll, especially in a child's adolescent years. Perhaps if you're born to rock, you might explore that age group. Kids could use something before Eminem and you might be the one to create it.

Peace.

Musical Confidence. What's That? Part 1 (The Kids)

In our field of arts-in-education, Beth and I spend most of our days at schools singing and playing, writing and recording with teachers and students. We have been doing this for almost twenty years, so I have had the chance to observe a lot of big, small and medium sized people around music. The results of this “study” are a mixed bag of hope and fear. Today, I will start with the kids and in a subsequent post (Part 2), I’ll focus on their teachers.

I am full of hope around very young children, especially those from 0-8 years old. They still love to dance, sing, laugh and play just like kids have always done. The human spirit is alive and well in these young children. If a musical facilitator knows his or her “stuff”, the majority of kids will gladly join their teacher on a musical ride.

What’s even more important is that these children will clamor for more, recognizing in their minds and bodies an unparalleled joy that only music and movement can offer. I cannot overemphasize the importance of early and often when it comes to music. Especially with this age group, singing and dancing are a way of promoting a lifetime enjoyment of the Arts. Interestingly, it is during this phase of development that we are all singers, dancers and players. It’s not until later that we take on the role of “spectator”. Harrumph. I’ll get to that more in Part 2.

Around the end of third grade or sometime during fourth grade, kids go through a new “growth spurt”. I don’t know the actual developmental name for this period, but I notice that kids get more willful and it gets noticeably harder to engage them, musically. My best guess is that there are societal reasons as well as developmental ones why children change in these years. Obviously, we are competing against pop music and the first stirrings of independence from parents or teachers and an equal reliance on one’s peers. It’s all good, but one’s musical bag of tricks has to get a little deeper in order to keep them engaged.

You don’t have to be a social scientist to see that this is a time when some kids turn off to music. Boys, in particular, might stop singing altogether and gravitate towards sports, video games and rougher forms of make believe play. In the audience, these boys get very fidgety. Unless we are playing fun, interactive songs that have a lot of movement and humor they might start talking and wrestling with one another. Luckily, Beth and I have developed a large repertoire of silly songs and a lot of tricks just for this reason. We can keep them engaged with our “schtick” at least until firth or sixth grade when boys and girls start going through another change – puberty!

Children from 9-12 are called “tweeners” because they are in-between early childhood and the onset of adolescence. In truth, they are growing at different rates, so it is not uncommon to see a large variance of emotional intelligence and other factors which might effect the type of music we play. As such, the music facilitator needs to sense the group dynamic. Where is the energy leaning and where can I lead it?

Trust and timing go hand in hand here but it’s delicate and nuanced. You can see it in the best teachers of this age group. Personally, I like to gain a tweener’s trust by being silly, meeting them we’re they’re at. I’m careful not to cross the line, but I’ll admit to a certain amount of horseplay and yucking it up combined with a moderate dose of cool. Beth and I become their hip aunt and uncle here - adults with a sense of play. This usually involves songs that are more upbeat and feature them on-stage playing parts in the songs. When in doubt, let them get their ya-yas out by laughing at themselves and their peers.

Timing is knowing when to do what and for how long. Our plan always includes a certain amount of character education, team-building or other skills we’re teaching, but we always place our lessons within the frame of fun and participative songs and skits. In another one of my blogs, I talk about “Show and Tell”, so I won’t repeat myself here. Suffice it to say, that music and drama can be very powerful in the hands of a person who knows and senses the energy of the group they’re leading. To some degree, we have to shape our expectations (lesson plans/set lists) around their mood and adapt quickly to changes we sense. To not do so is death by audience revolt!

As always, I look forward to your thoughts and comments. Please feel free to respond here or contact us on Facebook (Beth & Scott and Friends) or via Twitter (@BethScott Bierko).